Method of producing explosions



Patented July 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. b

namumw sraunmena, or zunron, SWITZERLAND, assrenon. TO THE socm'rx or CHEMICAL mnus'rny IN BASLE, or 'IBASEL, SWITZERLAND.

METHOD OF PRODUCING EXPLOSIONS.

I No Drawing. Application filed June 8,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN STAUD- menu, a citizen of the Swiss Republic, and

residing at Zurich, Switzerland, have -invented a new and useful Method of Producing Explosions, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

It is known that the light metals of the first and second grou of the periodic classification can react wit man substances and that in the course of suc reactions frequently considerable quantities of energy are l gl'raduallyliberated, as a rule in form of eat.

I have now found that such reactions which are associated with the liberation of considerable quantities of energy can be increased to explosions, it the mentioned metals and the suitable substances are suddenl brought into intensive contact with can other, such as for instance by a strong impact or blow. In this way powerful exple-- sions are roduced which can be utilized in ractice or various purposes, such as for instance for burstin purposes in mines, quarries, and so on, or explodi artillery rojectiles, bombs, and the like, or initiatmg the explosion of the various known exlosives, and what else comes into question 1n practice. The term light metals includes also mixtures and alloys, such as for instance amalgams of them.

As regards the intensity of the explosions same can he graduated at 0 tion in various ways according to the cholce of the light metal and the substances to be reacted on with the same. The more electro-positive the metal, the more intensive is its action generally; potassium for example gives-more sensitive combinations than sodium or lithium', also barium acts more energetically than calcium or strontium. The most vigorous is the action of. a liquid potassiumsodium alloy. I

As to the substances to be reacted on with light metals the following come into consideration: inorganic halogen compounds in i as far as they are not halides, organic halogen compounds, inorganic oxygen or sulfur compounds in as far as they are not metallic oxides or metallic sulfides, organic oxygen or sulfur compounds,.inorgamc and organic compounds which contain two or more of the mentioned elements. (halogen, oxygen, sulfur), and finally mixtures of the 1923. Serial No. 644,242.

mentioned compounds among themselves or with indifferent bodies. V

Of inorganic halogen compounds there may be mentioned: compounds of the metalloids with halogen, such as the halogen- Generallyit ma be said that all halo en compounds, in as ar as they are not hali es, can react with light metals 1n such a manner that an explosion occurs at a sufliciently powerful im act or blow, provided that the mert part 0 the molecule of the respective substance is not too great. -In order to produce the explosion it can for instance be proceeded in such a manner that a li uid potassium-sodium; alloy is charged ,un er most into a siutable receptacle, on the to of which the respectivecompound is pl if necessary enclosed in a thin lass container, whereupon the wee tacle is ropped from a sufiicient height. ith combinations of a light metal and a. substance capable of reaction, which arerelatively inert and. in case of which the dropping from a limited 95 fide, sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, organic 10c compounds rich in oxygen, such as for instance oxalic ester, acetic acid, nitro-compounds of the alipathic and aromatic series Especially easily there will react strong endothermic oxygen compounds, particu 1 16,"

derivatives of sulfur, phosphorus, silicon, f?

larly the derivatives of nitrogen, such as for example nitrogen dioxide and the organic 'nitro-deri-vatives, the esters of nitric acid and nitrous acid, that is to say, nitromethane, ethyl nitrate, ethyl mtrite, nitroglycerin, above all also the or amc polynitro-compounds, finally also h ogen nitrocompounds, such as for example chloropicrin or aromatic halogen nitro-compounds.

Of particular importance it is also that with bodies which besides the property of being able of reacting with light metals possess in themselves already explosive properties the suddenly instituted detonation with a light metal acts simultaneously as priming agent for larger quantities of the explosive present, the detonation locally occurring in the first momentbeing conveyed further. In this manner, for instance, larger quantities of compounds, such as trinitrotoluene, picric acid, chlorate explosives, nitro-explosives, liquid air explosives, for instance oxyliquit, and even relatively inert substances, which by the ordinary priming agents are not or only with difliculty to be exploded, such as dinitrobenzene or a mixture of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate, canbe brought to explosion without employing a special priming agent. On a larger quantity of picricacid, for instance, there is placed a glass ampuHa-filled with potassium; by a powerful lmpact the group of the periodic classification and substances which are ca able of reacting with such metals under li eration of considerable quantities .of energy, by bringing the said metals and substances suddenly into intensive contact with each other.

2. Method for producing explosions, consisting in bringing light metals of the first and second group of the periodic classification and an explosive suddenly into intensive contact with each other, thus instituting .a localdetonation which acts as a priming means for the explosive.

3. Method for producing explosions, consisting in bringing light metals of the first and second group of the periodic classification suddenly into intensive contact with such substances containing nitrogen and oxygen, which, by the ordinary priming agents, are not or only with difiiculty to be exploded, thus instituting a local detonation which acts as a priming means for said substances. v

4. Method for producing explosions, consisting in bringing light metals of the first andsecond group of the periodic classification, a substance which is capable of reactin with this metal under liberation of consi erable uantities of energy, and an explosive suddenly into intensive contact with one another, thus instituting a local det0nation which acts as a priming means for the explosive.

5. Method for producing explosions, consisting in bringing potassium, a halogen compound, and an explosive suddenly into intensive contact with one another, thus instituting a local detonation which acts as a priming means for the explosive.

In wltness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this'26 day of May 1923, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' HERMANN STAUDINGER.

Witnesses:

ALFRED RHEINER, C. W. WILLIEN. 

